Is It Classic?: Hotel California

Hotel California – Eagles
Best Song: Hotel California (duh)
Best song that isn’t Hotel California: Wasted Time


Oh boy is this album is a-not-so-great. Now it will always be considered in any list of great albums mostly by the virtue of the title track. While there is plenty of vile and hateful things that can be thrown at the Eagles’ music: sterile production, basic melodies, no innovations, too pretentious, ect. ect. if you hate this song you need to get your ears checked. The ultimate anthem of decadence and materialism there is no denying its biting power. The guitar duel at the end is amazing and the bass throughout it one of my favorite bass parts ever.

Too bad the rest of the album is no where as good. New Kid in Town is pleasant but not at all memorable. As for the two big rockers Life in the Fast Lane and Victim of Love... well neither is bad, in fact Life in the Fast Lane even kicks some ass. But they are so sterile that I can’t consider them first rate songs. There are only two other songs on the album that I think are worth even being included on an album with Hotel California. The ending epic Last Resort and Wasted Time; the former is saved by great orchestration that really helps the song reach its peak while the latter is almost ruined by hollywoodish strings that almost hide the great melody (but fail to in the end). Wasted Time also has one of the best vocal melodies on the record.

So while Hotel California will never really offend the listener it is not an album that can hold up to the greatest song on it. In fact I wouldn’t even call this the Eagles best album (you would be better of getting Take It Easy or Hell Freezes Over, or actually a greatest hits package it the best for them there Eagles).


Final Verdict on Reputation: Undeserved